Story by Erin Bender
Photos by Tuesday Photography
Since we first opened our doors in 2000, Breadroot Co-op has been all about connecting our community through natural and organic foods. As we’ve grown, so has our amazing network of local producers. In 2026, we’re proud to carry products from over 40 local vendors, stretching from the Black Hills to the Eastern Plains of South Dakota.
We think it’s just as important to spotlight these vendors as it is to stock their products. So much of what we do is rooted in cultivating community, and this blog series is one more way to grow that connection. Take a moment to read about the people behind your favorite products — and get familiar with the faces and stories that make our Co-op what it is.
Sage & Cedar Herbal Tea Co. grew out of Joe Vandenberg and Ashley Holtquist’s shared exploration of herbalism and the ways plants can support health and wellness. As they looked for ways to connect people with plants, they found their focus in tea. As they put it, “…we recognized the comfort and familiarity so well known in tea and found our focus.” In the wide world of herbalism, tea felt like an accessible entry point for introducing the practice to the Black Hills community.
Joe grew up in Lead, SD, and was always an outdoorsy type. It’s hard not to be with the Black Hills in your backyard. He spent his weekends camping, fishing, and exploring. After experiencing health issues, he began exploring plant medicine as part of his approach to wellness. Ashley, who grew up in the woods near Custer, SD, with her retired dad, also spent much of her childhood outdoors. She was the kind of kid who entertained herself in the backyard mixing pretend potions. She had always been drawn to medicine and initially considered it as a career, but found herself looking for a different approach to health and healing. When Ashley discovered herbalism, she found an intersection between her desire to care for others and her interest in nontraditional approaches to wellness.
While Joe and Ashley were exploring herbalism independently, their paths eventually intertwined. As they continued studying herbalism together, they realized it was something they wanted to share with the greater Black Hills community. The small business that began in a spare bedroom of their home has since grown into a storefront on North Main Street in Spearfish, SD. Today, Sage & Cedar offers everything from tea and tinctures to consulting and clinics, and they continue to grow as a trusted resource for a more holistic approach to wellness throughout the Black Hills. For this vendor spotlight, we stopped by their Spearfish storefront before heading behind the scenes at their production facility.
We made the trip up to Spearfish on a crisp fall day in early October. Stepping into Sage & Cedar at 211 North Main Street, we were greeted by the warm glow of salt lamps and Joe at the front desk. He called to Ashley, “We’ve got visitors!” as we looked around the shop and started getting our gear out. Shelves lining every wall of the small shop were stocked with tea blends, tinctures, and whole herbs. There were tons to see and smell. We chatted for a while about what brought them here before heading a few blocks away to see where the magic happens.
At the production facility, Joe pulled out each ingredient for Sage & Cedar’s Vintage Earl Grey blend, its fragrance filling the room as he added everything to a triple-XL mixing bowl. Tea has a way of engaging all the senses. First come sight and sound, followed by smell, touch, and taste.
In Vintage Earl Grey, black tea, dried rose petals, rosemary, and lavender buds come together to create one of the prettiest blends on our Bulk shelves. Once you bring some home, your own multisensory ritual can begin: the sound of your kettle coming to a boil, the aroma of freshly steeped tea, the warmth of a cup in your hands, and, of course, the taste of that first sip. While your experience with Sage & Cedar teas starts in the Bulk aisle and ends in your kitchen, Joe and Ashley are hands-on from the start.
The foundation of Sage & Cedar is quality. Joe and Ashley work directly with growers. As they put it, “By knowing where our plant medicines come from, we are able to ensure we source from the most ethical, sustainable, and loving people we can find.” Through Sage & Cedar, Joe and Ashley have built a beautiful bridge between these growers and our community, making herbalism a little more accessible with every blend. What began as a shared exploration of herbalism has grown into a way to bring those plants, and the knowledge surrounding them, to the Black Hills community. And sometimes, it all starts with a cup of tea.
